Our Times: July 2005

Fish For Brains

A study of 7400 babies born between 1991 and 1992 and their mother's diet while pregnant has concluded that women who ate a lot of fish when pregnant give birth to more intelligent babies. This increased brain power is believed to be due to the omega-3 and omega-6 oils found in oily fish.

Odd Taste In Music

Scientists have discovered a musician who can taste sounds. The musician, identified only as ES, finds a minor-second note tastes sour, a major-second bitter, a minor third salty, a major-third sweet and a minor-sixth creamy. According to researchers in Zurich, Switzerland, ES's unique ability comes from crossed sensory brain wiring.

Smallest Star Ever

The smallest star ever detected has turned up in a search for extrasolar planets. The star was one of nearly 200 objects detected passing in front of or transiting brighter companion stars during the planet-hunting OGLE survey in Chile. This new sun is just 16 per cent larger than Jupiter and smaller than some known planets found beyond our solar system.

Shocking Bite

Wolves in Finland with a taste for domestic dogs could soon be in for a shock. A new dog coat sends 1000 volts through the wolf when its fangs penetrate, but is designed to ensure the pampered pet feels no pain from the jolt. In Finland, up to 30 dogs a year are killed by wolves.

Flying For Clean Air

The UK is set to announce a scheme to promote clean energy in developing countries by paying into a fund every time a minister or civil servant takes a trip by air. The idea is to offset the climate change impact of the carbon dioxide emissions from flying. As politicians are major travellers, the fund could raise up to

Dead Promotion

Over the past three years, the cryogenically frozen body of a Norwegian man has become the centrepoint of a quirky winter festival, in a small Colorado mining town. "Grandpa" Bredo Morstoel, who died in 1989, was snap-frozen by his grandson and stored in a shed in Nederland, a town 500km from Denver that began celebrating Frozen Dead Guy Day in 2002 in an effort to promote tourism

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